John Laver Mather Cooper

This is from Wikipedia and Home of the Hero’s.John Cooper is one of the nineteen double medal winners.He is one of fourteen men to win two medals for different events.

John Cooper (July 24, 1828 – August 22, 1891) (born as John Laver Mather Cooper) was a member of the United States Navy. He is one of only nineteen people who have received the Medal of Honor twice and one of only fourteen to receive the Medal of Honor for two distinct events.

His first such award came about because of his actions aboard the USS Brooklyn (1858) during the Battle of Mobile Bay, August 5, 1864. The second award was a result of an accidental fire in which Cooper advanced through the burning area in order to rescue a wounded man from certain death on April 26, 1865.

The President of the United Statesin the name ofThe Congresstakes pleasure in presenting the

Medal of Honor

to

COOPER, JOHN(True Name: John Laver Mather)

First Award – Civil War

Second Award – Peace Time Heroism

Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 1832, Ireland.Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864.Citation: On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern, Cooper fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious battle which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

Rank and organization: Quartermaster, U.S. Navy. Born: 1832, Ireland.Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 62, 29 June 1865.Citation: Served as quartermaster on Acting Rear Admiral Thatcher’s staff. During the terrific fire at Mobile, on 26 April 1865, at the risk of being blown to pieces by exploding shells, Cooper advanced through the burning locality, rescued a wounded man from certain death, and bore him on his back to a place of safety.